THE EU IS proposing measures that would reduce US control over the internet and change the way it’s run globally.

After concerns relating to the NSA and US surveillance, the European Commission has listed out a number of proposals which call for greater transparency, accountability and inclusive governance.

Some of the proposals included making the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit organisation that assigns internet domain names and is operating under contract with the US government, a global organisation as well as safeguards that will protect the open nature of the internet,

The European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes said for effective change to occur, there should be general guidelines for all countries to follow instead of allowing individual governments to come up with their own guidelines.

I agree that governments have a crucial role to play, but top-down approaches are not the right answer. We must strengthen the multi-stakeholder model to preserve the internet as a fast engine for innovation.

Kroes says that the next two years will be “criticial in redrawing the global map of internet governance,” and that Europe must play “a strong role” in shaping these regulations.

Read: “This will cause problems” – EU warns Switzerland after immigration result >

Read: Google avoids major fine by striking deal with EU regulators >